Apparatus for making cigar-bunches.



. PRESCOTT.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING CIGAR BUNOHES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 5, 1906.

Patented Jan. 21', 1913.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

blOOIO. 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 INVENTOR ATTORN EY S. I. PRESCOTT.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING GIGAR BUNOHES.

APPLICATION FILED MAYS, 1906.

Patented J an. 21, 1913.

2 SHEETSSHEEI: 2.

VIIIIIIIIIIIIIII/IIIIIIII/l aOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOU) OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOQ OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD OOOOOOOOOOOOOOMD INVENTOR S M E S E NW T/ ATTORNEY 1 than "the Sp'an'i sTA ns PATENT omen.

sYnNEa I. rnnscorr, or new arm, a, hssiouon. 'ro m' mnnmnonu'cmm mcmEnY-eommm, or new roux, N. Y.-, 'A OOREOMTIOH or saw was.

I mm'rns FOR M'AKING CIGAR BUNOHES.

. Specification df Letterslatent- -Patent ed Jan.-21i, 1-9*1-3 'll ii ation mu m a, 1903. Serial No.- 315301.

To all wfi'om it may concem:

Be it known that I, Srbmtr' I.- PRES-cm, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, county of Kings, and State of New York, "have-invented certain new and 'nseiul improvements Apparatus for Making Cigar-Bunches, described and represented in *the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the sam'e.

This invention relates toceitain improve.- ments in cigar machines.

character of the cigar.

are used. The Spanish hunch? is customarily made by superposing a number of flat or outspread filler leaves, the leaves decreasing 'in size from the bottom leaf. the -pile hein'g rolled up from one edge. ile "cigars employing the German type of'bunch are made by machinery, ci ars employing the Spanish type of bunch ave been hither'to made entirely "by hand.

The invention "has for its object to pro duce a machine for formin'g cigars of the Spanish bunch type; 1

The invention further extends to certain improvements in tn'eeha'nism Tfor preparing the tobacco for rolling into bun'hes, some of these improvements, however, being useful in machines which prepare tobacco to be used in makin type (if 'bunches.

With these 'ob"ects generally stated in view, and other dbjedts not specifically re- 'ferred 'to, the invention consists in certainconstruct-ions and in certain parts, improvemerits and combinationsaswill be hereinafter fully described and then specifically pointed out. I

Referring to the accompanying drawings'Fi'gure '1 'illustra'tegin plan view, a

cigars which employ other fma'chine embodying the invention. Fig, is a side "view of the machine illustrated Flg. 1. Fig. 3 is a 'section'on the line 3'3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional detail illus-i trating'the carrier medhanism. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail'plan views illustrating the operation of certain parts of the machine. Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are diagrams illustrating the bunch forming operation. 'Fi' side elevation of the bunch forme by the 'pa-rticular machine illustrated.- Tig. 11 is a central vertical section of the bunch shown in Fig. 10. j

The particular machine which has been selected as illustrating an embodiment of the invention, includes means for converting "outspread or flat leaves""into" a bunch and means for applying a wrapper to the bunch thus formed. when the machine is embodied in machines of the general type illus 10 isa trated, means will be provided for 'su'stainin the leaves in an out/spread condition,

at! these means should furtherbe ofis'uch "a character as to retain the leaves inposition with respect to each other. While the means employed may 'be varied 'and will "vary according to the type of-m'achine employed, in the particular construction illustrated, the sustaining means includes a table,

as 1 this 'table'heing hung on a shaft 2 i which is supported in. the side frames 3 forming a partoi the m'achine frame; In the particular machine 1llustrated,,this table also forms apart of the rolling mechanism,

as will hereinafter appear. 'The particular machine illustratedal'so includes means for automatically bringing the leaves into position with respect to the sustaining means. While thesemeans may be varied widely, as illustrated, they include a carrier consisting of perforated belts 4, these belts running over driven pulleys 5 on the shaft 2 and over idle pulleys 6 on a shaft '7 extending across the machine. Cooperating with the upper run of these perforated 4 belts are suction boxes "8, these boxes being, in the particular construction shown, f oi'me in one piece with a casting 9 which forms a table, the boxes and casting being supported in side frames. These boxes 8 are connected,

- through pipes 10, with any suitable form of suction producing means, not shown.

In the operation o'fthe iparticular mecha- 6, on the table 9, the ends of the leaves being a is provided with a driving gear 14 which, as

nism illustrated, the tobacco leaves to be converted into a bunch are spread in fiat'overlappedv form, as illustrated in Figs. 5 and retained in position on the carrier belts 4 by means of the .suction. The leaves having been laid on the table and carrier, are advanced by giving the carrier 'a suitable In the particular construction movement, illustrated,-this is accomplished by providing the shaft 2 with a sprocket 11 over which runs a drivingchain 12, indicated in dotted lines in Fig.2, this chain passing around a sprocket mounted on a shaft 13 extending across" the machine. This shaft 13 the movement of the carrier in the particular machine shown, is intermittent, meshes 'at proper times with a segment'l5 formed on a segment wheel '16, this wheel being supported on a shaft 17 which forms the main driving shaft of the machine.

VVhIle theleaves might be cut to proper length and shape, if a shaped bunch is to be made, before being introduced into the machine, in the best construct-ions, the leaves will. be shaped after they have been intr0- duced ntothemachine. The shaping mechanism when it is employed will vary widely accordlng to the type or shape of bunch to be produced. In the particular machine illustrated, the shapingisefiected by pro viding knives 18 which are located alongside the tablel and supported thereon in any suitable way, as, for instance, by being screwed thereto. Cooperating with these knives 18 is a cutting roll 19, this rollbelng supportedbetween forks 20-formed on an arm 21, this arm being pivoted to a slide 22 which works in ways inan extension 23 of the frame. This slide is, in the machine illustrated, operated by a' lever 24 connected to the slide 22 by a link 25 and pivoted at 26 to the bed on which the machine stands. ThlS lever 24 is operatedby a link- 27 secured .to a crank arm 28, this crank arm beingcarried on a short shaft 29 supported. in a, standard 30, this shaft being provided wtth. a gear 31 which at'proper times meshes with the segment 15 before referred to.

While the rolling of the bunches may be effected by. any suitable mechanism, in the particular construction illustrated, this is for making Spanish bunches, itshould be of such a character that the size or diameter of the rolling cavity can be increased proportionately to the increase in size of the bunch. In wrapping a German bunch, it is not necessary-to increase the size of the rolling cavity, for the reason that all the filler is placed in the'rolling cavity at one time, and the introduction of the binder does not substantially increase the diameter of the bunch. -In forming a Spanish bunch, however, the bunch increases in size during the rolling operation, thereby necessitating an increase in diameter of the rolling cavity.

While the means employed for increasing the size of the rolling cavity may be varied and will vary-according to the type of rolling mechanism employed, in the particular construction illustrated, this is effected by securing the end of the belt 32 opposite to that which is secured to the table to a bar 35 supported by a pair of bell-cranks 36%37, these bell-cranks being pivotedon studs 38 extending inward from the side frames. ---The 7 arms 37"of fthese bell-cranks carry rollers'which work in" cam grooves 39 in cam disks 40 supported on the main shaft 17. The configuration of these grooves is such as to so control the belt that a comparatively small rolling cavity is formed in it by the-loop forming roller in the first instance, the size of the diameter of this cavity increasing as the bunch increases in size. These grooves are so formed as to tighten the belt somewhat suddenly as the rolling operation 'is completed so as to expel the bunch. 1

The particular machine illustrated is designed to 'forma. bunch whichwhile it. consists .in the main of rolled leaves is provided with a central core made of filler somewhat similarto that of which the German hunch is entirely formed. When the invention is embodied in a machine which forms a bunch with a core in the manner described, the core forming devices may be of any suitable construction. In the machine selected to illustrate an embodiment of the invention, these devices are of such a character as to form the core from. the parts of the leaves cut ofi during the shaping operation. The

parts of the leaves cutofi by the knives 18v and which adhere to the carrier belts are forwarded by the belts and deposited in receptacles 41 which lie at the ends of the runs of the belts and on each side of the slackof the rolling belt when the loop forming roller is in its retracted position. Cooperating with these receptacles 41 are plungers .42 which are operated by arms 43 carried on upright shafts 44, the lower ends of'these upright shafts being provided with operating arms. 45 which cooperate with suitable cam disks 46,"the arms being held against the disks by springs 47 connected to the levers 43. In the rolling operation, and

after a bunch has been rolled, and the loop forming roller 33 has retreated to the position shown in Fig. 3, the plungers L2 operate to move into the rolling belt the ends of the leaves cut away in the formation of the preceding bunch. After the plunger-s have thus introduced this core forming material into the belt, the loop forming roller starts forward, the slack in the belt being taken up so as to form a small rolling cavity and suitably compress the core; As the roller advances, the overlapped outspread leaves enter the bunch forming cavity in the belt, the operation being made clear by the diagrams Figs. 7 and 8.

Inasmuch as the loop forming roller 33 is mounted on the arm which carries the cutting roll, this roll moves just in advance of the loop forming roller. By thus cutting the leaves during the rolling operation, they are securely held by the carrier belts uhtil substantially the time when they enter the rolling cavity, so that they do not become displaced with respect to each other. The operator can, therefore, lay the proper number of leaves to form a bunch on the belts and be sure that they will be fed into the rolling mechanism in proper relation to each other. After the rolling is completed, the hunch is discharged into a suitable receiver, the receiver illustrated being a set of bent fingers 48 mounted on the end of the table 1. After the leaves are converted into bunches, the Wrappers will be applied there-.

to. lVhile this might be done in a separate machine. in the best construction. the wrapper applying mechanism will form a part of the machine. The wrapper applying mechanism employed may be of any suitable type. That illustrated includes a group of intergeared rollers 49, these rollers being .driven from a gear 50 mounted on a shaft 51 extending across the machine. This shaft may be driven in any suitable mannor, as, for instance, by a chain indicated in dotted lines at 52 in Figs. 2 and 3. the chain running over a sprocket 54 on the shaft 51 and a sprocket 55 on the shaft 17. These rollers are mounted in the usual side frames, not herein shown. so as to be opened and closed at proper times to receive and deliver the bunch.- The opening and closing mechanism is indicated. the same consisting of a cam lever 56 cooperating with av cam 57 on the shaft 51. this lever being connected by a link 58 to an arm 59 on the shaft which supports one of the driving pinions for the group of rolls. The specific construction of rolling mechanism not being herein claimed, the illustration thereof has been made diagrammatic merely in the interests of brevity and clearness. The means for supplying wrappers to this'W-rapping mechanism is the 1 special construction thereof having no re 1 also omitted for the same reasons.

lation to the present invention.

Suitable transferring devices may be employed for transporting the bunches from the bunch forming mechanism to the wrap ping mechanism. In the construction shown, these transferring devices consist of an arm 60, this arm being provided with a. pair of hooks 61 and being mounted on a shaft 62. suitably supported in the frame. This shaft 62, in the particular construction illustrated, is provided with a segment 63 which is in mesh with a sliding rack 64 suitably supported in the machine, this rack being driven 'by a connecting rod 65 which is fast to the crank arm 66 on the shaft 13 before referred to. In the particular construction illustrated, the hunch is brought into the range of action of the transferring arm by rocking the table 1 down, this being efiected by connecting the table by a link 67 to one of the arms 68 of a bell-crank 68, 69 hung on the shaft 13. The arm 69 of this bell-crank is provided with a roller which cooperates with a cam 70 mounted on a shaft 17 before referred to. This movement of the table is desirable in machines'of the type illustrated not only for the purpose of bringing the bunch within the range of action of the transferring arm, as stated, but for the further reason that the table is moved out of the way as a group of leaves is advanced by the carrier so that the leaves are not liable to be misplaced by being dragged over the table and rolling belt.

The completed bunch before the wrapper is applied thereto is illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11, the outer wound leaves of the bunch being marked 71 and the core portion 72. The peculiar shape of the leaves shown in the hunch is due to the action of the shaping mechanism which produces a bunch having parallel smoke passages extending through it from end to end, the bunch being shaped so that a compression thereof after rolling, as in a mold, is unnecessary.

The invention may be embodied in machines which differ widely in their construction from that which has been described, and it may be further stated that certain features of the invention may be used independently of other features, and in machines which do not make bunches of the particular type herein described and il-lus trated. The invention is not. therefore, to be confined to the specific details of construction herein described.

lVhat is claimed is i 1. In a cigar machine. the combination with means for shaping a selected number of outspread leaves to produce a Spanish bunch, of means acting on such shaped 4 leaves to form a bunch, and means acting upon the formed bunch to convert it into at (71 211.

2. In a cigar machine. the combination with means for advancing leaves in an outspread condition, of means for shaping the outspread leaves in sections to produce a Spanish bunch, and means acting upon the sections to assemble the same to form a bunch.

3. In a cigar machine, the combination with means for advancing leaves in an out spread condition, of means for shaping the outspread leaves in sections to produce a Spanish bunch, means acting upon the sections to assemble the same to form a bunch, and means acting upon theformed bunch to convert it into a cigar.

4. In a cigar machine, the combination with means for shaping a number of outspread leaves to produce a Spanish bunch,

. and means acting on the shaped leaves to form a bunch.

5. In a cigar machine, the combination with means for shaping a number of outspread leaves to produce a Spanish bunch, a rolling mechanism acting on the shaped leaves to orm a bunch, and means acting upon the formed bunch to convert it into a cigar.

6. In a cigar machine, the combination with a bunch forming mechanism, of means for supplying a core to said mechanism, and means 'for supplying a plurality of outspread overlapped leaves to be successively wound about the core.

7. In a cigar machine, the combination with a cutting mechanism, of means for supplying tobacco leaves in an outspread condition thereto, a "rolling, mechanism, means for transferring parts of the leaves to the rolling mechanism to form cores, and means for feeding parts of the leaves to the rolling mechanism in an outspread conrlition.

8. In a cigar machine, the combination witha rolling mechanism to which leaves are successively presented to form a bunch,

of positively operated means for increasing the size of the rolling cavity proportionately to the increase in size of the bunch during the rolling operation.

9. In a cigar machine, the combination with a cutting mechanism adapted to shape filler tobacco, of a carrier, means for 'retaining filler tobacco therein with the. stems of the filler leaves lying across the line of feed, and meansfor producing a relative movement between the ,cutting mechanism and the carrier.

10. In a cigar machine, the combination with a cutting mechanism adapted to shape filler tobacco, of a carrier, means for retaining filler tobacco therein with the stems of the filler leaves lying across the line of feed, and means for operating the carrier to bring the leaves within the range of action of the cutting mechanism.

11. In a cigar machine, the combination with a cutting mechanism adapted to shape -which the leaves are carried,

filler, of a suction carrier adapted to retain leaves thereon with their stems crosswise of the line of feed, and means for producing a relative movement between the cutting mechanism and the carrier.

. 12. Ina cigar machine, the combination with a cutting mechanism adapted to shape filler, of a suction carrier adapted to retain leaves thereon with their stems crosswise of the line of feed, and means for moving the carrier to present the leaves to the cutting mechanism.

13. In a cigar machine, the combination with a carrier constructed to forward leaves in an outspread condition, ot a table over which the leaves are fed, and a rolling belt cooperating with the table.

14. In a cigar machine, the combination with a'carrier constructed to forward leaves in an outspread condition, of a table over which the leaves are fed, a rolling belt cooperating with the table, and a wrapper applying mechanism.

15. In a cigar machine, the combination with a carrier constructed to forward leaves in an outspread condition, of a table over which the leaves are fed, a cutting mechanism for shaping the leaves on the table. and, a rolling belt cooperating with the table.

16. In a cigar machine, the combination with afcarrier operating to advance a number of leaves in an outspread condition to produce a Spanish bunch, of a table -o ver a cutting mechanism for shaping the outspread leaves on the table, a rolling belt cooperating with the table to form the shaped leaves into a bunch, and means for converting the bunch into a cigar.

17. The combination with a carrier. of a table over which the leaves are fed in an outspread condition, a rolling belt cooperating with the table, and positively operated means for increasing the size of the loop in the belt as the bunch increases in size.

18. In a cigar machine,the combination with a table, of a rolling belt cooperating therewith, and positively operated means for gradually increasing the diameter of the loop in the belt during the rolling operation.

19. In a cigar machine, the combination with a rolling mechanism, of means for feeding leaves successively thereto, and means for cutting the leaves as they are fed to the rolling mechanism, said cutting aneans operating substantially parallel to the line of feed.

20. In a cigar machine, the combination with a table, of a rolling belt cooperating therewith, said table and belt being adapted to support and roll filler into a bunch, and means for cutting the filler during the rolling operation.

21. In a cigar machine, the combination cutting devices operating'between the car- With a rolling table, of a rolling belt 00- rier belts and the table. operating therewith, knives located along: In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set side the table, cooperating knives, and my hand, in the presence of two subscribing 5 mean; for bringing the knives into operawitnesses. tion uring t -e rolling operation. T

22. In a cigar machine, the combination 3 SYDNEX PRESCOTT" with a carrier comprising two suction belts, Witnesses: of a table located between the belts, a roll- A. WHITE, 10 ing belt cooperating with the table, and l JAMES Q. RUI. 

